clown still sick! What's wrong? SOS

[cirionrc]

Ok, I have a clown and he has been in a hospital tank for 3 days and no sign of recovery. He is breathing REALLY hard at the bottom of the tank now. I used copper but since my brother bought a 40 gallon hospital tank, copper gets really expensive. I have a new 5 gallon aquarium kit from wal mart. It uses the carbon filter pads. Will this work for a hospital tank. I will used tank water from my tank and sand from my main tank. The clown has not eaten a thing yet either. Any suggestions?

[MKramer]

Maybe I missed, or have forgotten, where you described the symptoms before, but perhaps copper isn't the right treatment here? It wouldn't surprise me... copper ain't the cure-all everyone makes it out to be.

 

As for the 5g hospital, that's fine. The clown can easily tolerate that small of a space. I actually have a 1.5g hospital that I use for mine.

 

I would probably avoid using sand from the old tank, though. In fact, I would avoid using wanything from it. If there's something in the water that's affecting your clown, you certainly don't want that in your hospital tank.

 

I do just a bare-bottom tank with fresh saltwater, brought as close to the tank's parameters as possible (ie, adjust temp, pH and salinity), do a quick acclimation, and let him loose in it. The carbon filter will be more than enoguh filtration for a short-term residicency of a single clown.

 

But we still need to get your treatment correct. What other symptoms is the fish exhibiting? Any visible blotches, tears, or spots on his body? Can you count his respiration rate? Does he remain upright, or does he tend to lean? Is he eating? Are there any other fish in the main tank, and are they or have the indicated that they're having any sort of trouble (like or unlike the clown)?

[Strife]

if it still eats, try adding garlic oil to its food...

have to checked water parameters on the quarentine tank lately?

that could be the main cause of stress...(tank parameters)

[Keiko]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I've never heard of anyone adding garlic oil , only garlic extract . I agree with MKramer, you need give more specs abt the fish and the tank.